Crusher with hydraulically adjusted rotary assembly for supporting and gyrating a conical head

ABSTRACT

A gyratory crusher is disclosed having a two-piece central upright rotating cam assembly for supporting and camming a crushing head to gyrate relative to a surrounding stationary concave carried by a frame. The two-piece rotating assembly comprises a cylindrical sleeve journaled in a lower portion of the crusher frame to rotate about a vertical axis, and a shaft having a lower portion journaled in the sleeve for vertical movement relative to the sleeve and with the lower shaft portion keyed to the sleeve to rotate with the sleeve. An upper portion of the shaft cams the head to gyrate by being inclined relative to the lower and vertical portion of the shaft, with a central axis of the upper shaft portion intersecting a vertical central axis of the lower shaft portion at a point above the shaft. A piston is arranged beneath the lower portion of the shaft, operable by fluid pressure to move vertically relative to the frame to raise and lower the rotating head camming shaft within the rotating sleeve, to thereby adjust the spacing between the head carried by the camming shaft and the concave carried by the frame. A bearing arrangement for the rotating sleeve and the lower shaft portion is also disclosed, which in one embodiment of the invention includes a pair of self-aligning spherical roller bearings. A first of the spherical roller bearings is arranged between the rotating sleeve and the frame adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, and a second of the spherical roller bearings is arranged below the sleeve and between the shaft and the frame, and provides for the sleeve to maintain contact with the shaft along the entire axial length of the sleeve.

United States Patent [191 Kemnitz Jan. 29, 1974 CRUSHER WITH HYDRAULICALLY ADJUSTED ROTARY ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORTING AND GYRATING A CONICAL HEAD [75] Inventor: Robert H. Kemnitz, Appleton, Wis. [73] Assignee: Allis-Chalmers Corporation,

Milwaukee, Wis.

[22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 307,049

[52] US. Cl. 241/214 [51] Int. Cl. 1302c 2/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..241/207,208,209,2l1, 241/213-216, 286, 290

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,468,342 4/1949 Munro 241/215 X 2,579,238 12/1951 Lippmann 241/216 X 2,634,061 4/1953 Rumpel 241/214 3,417,932 12/1968 Patterson 241/216 X 3,423,548 l/l969 Durand 241/215 3,481,033 12/1969 Beisner 241/215 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Assistant Examiner-l-loward N. Goldberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur M. Streich [57] ABSTRACT A gyratory crusher is disclosed having a two-piece central upright rotating cam assembly for supporting and camming a crushing head to gyrate relative to a surrounding stationary concave carried by a frame. The two-piece rotating assembly comprises a cylindrical sleeve joumaled in a lower portion of the crusher frame to rotate about a vertical axis, and a shaft having a lower portion joumaled in the sleeve for vertical movement relative to the sleeve and with the lower shaft portion keyed to the sleeve to rotate with the sleeve. An upper portion of the shaft cams the head to gyrate by being inclined relative to the lower and vertical portion of the shaft, with a central axis of the upper shaft portion intersecting a vertical central axis of the lower shaft portion at a point above the shaft. A piston is arranged beneath the lower portion of the shaft, operable by fluid pressure to more vertically relative to the frame to raise and lower the rotating head camming shaft within the rotating sleeve, to thereby adjust the spacing between the head carried by the camming shaft and the concave carried by the frame. A bearing arrangement for the rotating sleeve and the lower shaft portion is also disclosed, which in one embodiment of the invention includes a pair of selfaligning spherical roller bearings. A first of the spherical roller bearings is arranged between the rotating sleeve and the frame adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, and a second of the spherical roller bearings is arranged below the sleeve and between the shaft and the frame, and provides for the sleeve to maintain contact with the shaft along the entire axial length of the sleeve.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION FIG. 1 of this application discloses a crusher with an arrangement of axial thrust bearings the subject of my copending U.S. Pat. application entitled Gyratory Crusher With A Pair of Interchangeable Axial Thrust Bearings Ser. No. 307,050 filed concurrently with this application.

BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to gyratory crushers having a central upright rotating shaft for supporting and camming a crushing head to gyrate within a surrounding stationary concave member, and in particular to such a crusher with hydraulic adjustment of the spacing between the head and the concave member.

2. Description of the Prior Art Crushers having a central upright rotating shaft supporting and camming a crushing head to gyrate in a crushing chamber are shown in'prior patents such as U.S. Pat; No. 2,634,061 of 1953 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,623 of 1 964.

Another type of crusher that has been widely used has a central upright shaft that supports a crushing head but camming action to gyrate the head in a crushing chamber is provided by rotating an eccentric sleeve mounted around the lower end of the shaft. Crushers of this type sometimes permit the central shaft to rotate (even though it is not driven to rotate) and the action of crushing and stone passing through the crushing chamber sometimes spins the central shaft. However, it is not such rotating of the shaft that gyrates the head, it is the sleeve that is driven to rotate that gyrates the head. Such crushers are often provided'with a piston beneath the central shaft, operable by fluid pressure to move vertically relative to the frame to raise and lower the shaft within the eccentric camming sleeve, and adjust the spacing between the head carried by the shaft 45 and the concave carried by the frame. Examples of such crushers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,936 of 1948; U.S. Pat. No. 2,579,516 of l95l; U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,309 of I954; U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,881 of 1968; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,467,322 and 3,481,548 of 1969. Crushers having the rotating eccentric sleeves are often made with hydraulic arrangements for lifting the concave member relative to ashaft and head that are not moved up or down for adjusting purposes. Examples of such crushers are U.S. Pat; No. 2,680,571 of 1954 and my own U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,916 of 1968.

However the first mentioned style of crusher, that is the style having a rotating shaft supporting and catnming a crushing head, practically always achieves adjustment by lifting and lowering the concave as shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,061 and 3,118,623. One exception to the foregoing statement is the crusher shown on U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,033 of 1969, which does hydraulically raise and lower a rotating shaft that supports and cams a crushing head. However, in the arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,033 the entire drive mechanism including a motor, must be carried up and down with the rotating shaft as the spacing between head and concave is adjusted. It is to the need for an improved arrangement for providing a crusher of this type (i.e., having a rotating shaft that supports and cams a crushing head) with hydraulic ad- 1 5 justment of the vertical position of the crushing head relative to a stationary concave, that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes among its objects, providing a new and improved crusher having a rotating assembly that supports and cams a crushing head to gyrate within a stationary concave member, having hydraulic adjustment of the vertical position of the driving head relative to the stationary concave, and the particular object of providing in such a crusher the stationary mounting of a motor, drive shaft, driving gear and driven gear.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention a gyratory crusher is provided with a twopiece central upright rotating cam assembly for supporting and camming a crushing head to gyrate relative to a surrounding stationary concave carried by a frame. The two-piece rotating assembly comprises a cylindrical sleeve joumaled in a lower portion of the crusher frame to rotate about a vertical axis, and a shaft having a lower portion joumaled in the sleeve for vertical movement relative to the sleeve and with the lower shaft portion keyed to the sleeve to rotate with the sleeve. An upper portion of the shaft cams the head to gyrate by being inclined relative to the lower and vertical portion of the shaft, with a central axis of the upper shaft portion intersecting a vertical central axis of the lower shaft portion-at a point above the shaft. A piston is arranged beneath the lower portion of the shaft, operable by fluid pressure to move vertically relative to the frame to raise and lower the rotating head camming shaft within the rotating sleeve, to thereby adjust the spacing between the head carried by the camming shaft and the concave carried by the frame. A preferred embodiment of the invention will also utilize a bearing arrangement for the rotating sleeve and the lower shaft portion which includes a pair of self-aligning spherical roller bearings. A first of the spherical roller bearings V is arranged between the rotating sleeve and the frame adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, and a second of the spherical roller bearings is arranged below the sleeve and between the shaft and the frame, and provides for the sleeve to maintain contact with the shaft along the entire axial length of the sleeve.

Other features and objects of the invention that have been attained will appear from the more detailed description to follow with reference to an embodiment of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing shows a vertical sectional view of a crusher, showing one embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a crusher, showing another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view to an enlarged scale showing a lower portion of the crushers shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 but showing another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a gyratory crusher having a frame generally indicated at and including a lower frame section 12 and an upper frame section 14. The lower frame section 12 includes a fixed vertical hub 15 having an upper portion 16 and a lower portion 17. The lower hub portion 17 is provided with a bottom member 18 which encloses the bottom of the lower hub portion 17 and provides a hydraulic fluid inlet 19 for a purpose that will appear as the description of the present invention proceeds.

The upper frame section 14 is open upwardly and has secured therein a concave 20. Concave 20 is supported by the upper frame section 14 coaxially above hub 15. A generally conical crushing head 22 projects upwardly to concave 20 to define therebetween a crushing chamber 24. The crushing head 22 is supported (by means which will be described) and arranged with a central axis X-Y through head 22, being inclined relatito and intersecting with a vertical axis X-Z central of hub 15 and concave 20. The axis X-Y and the axis X-Z intersect at a point X above the crushing head 22. The crushing head 22 has a depending annular flange 26 coaxial with the central head axis X-Y defining a partially enclosed and downwardly open space 28.

A two-piece central upright cam assembly 29 is provided for supporting and camming crushing head 22 to gyrate relative to the stationary concave 20 carried by upper frame section 14. The two-piece cam assembly 29 comprises a shaft 30 within a cylindrical sleeve 31. The cylindrical sleeve 31 is joumaled in hub 15 coaxially thereto by radial bearings 34, 36. For convenience in assembly, the upper hub portion 16 may be made in two parts 16a and 16b, connected as by a bolt 160. A lower portion 32 of shaft 30 has a bottom surface 37 perpendicular to axis X-Z.

Shaft 30 has an upper portion 38 which projects upwardly into the space 28 defined within annular flange 26 of head 22. The upper portion 38 of shaft 30, is inclined relative to the lower shaft portion 32, with the upper portion 38 being coaxial to the head axis X-Y and having a top surface 40 perpendicular to the axis X-Y. Radial bearings 42, 44 are mounted between the outer circumference of upper shaft portion 38 and the inner circumference of flange 26. The radial bearings 42, 44, as well as the radial bearings 34, 36, are shown as antifriction roller bearings.

A pair of axial thrust bearings 50,52 are provided according to a construction and arrangement the subject of my copending patent application that has been referred to at the beginning of this specification. A first of the axial thrust bearings 50 is located on top of shaft 30 between the top surface 40 of the upper shaft portion 38 and the crushing head 22. A second of the axial thrust bearings 52 is located beneath shaft 30 between the bottom surface 37 of lower shaft portion 32 and a piston 54 within a cylinder 55 defined by bottom member 18. The axial thrust bearings 50,52 are shown as antifriction roller bearings.

To drive the crusher a drive shaft 60 is joumaled in bearings 61, 62 carried in fixed positions by the lower frame section 12 and driven by any suitable source of power. Shaft 60 carries a driving gear 63 that engages a driven gear 64 connected to the sleeve 31. The sleeve 31 is keyed to lower shaft portion 32 by a key that projects through a slot 71 in lower shaft portion 32 into an axially elongated pocket 72 in sleeve 31. Thus shaft 30 is free to move axially up and down within sleeve 31 but shaft 30 rotates with sleeve 31. In order to facilitate the insertion of key 70 thorugh slot 71 and into pocket 72, the lower shaft portion 32 may be bored to provide an axial cavity 73 projecting upwardly from bottom surface 37 into lower shaft portion 32 as shown.

In the operation of the crusher that has been described and is shown in FIG. 1, power applied to drive gear 63 and rotate driven gear 64, rotates sleeve 31 and shaft 30 about axis X-Z. As shaft 30 rotates, with lower shaft portion 32 turning concentrically relative to hub 15, the upper shaft portion 38 will be moved so that axis X-Y transcribes a cone about a central axis which is the axis X-Z. This motion of upper shaft portion 38 provides the crushing action of head 22 in crushing chamber 24. Crushing forces which are the result of stone being broken between head 22 and concave 20, have components transmitted through both the radial bearings 42, 44 and axial thrust bearing 50, to shaft 30. The forces applied to shaft 30 have components transmitted through both radial bearings 34, 36 and the axial thrust bearing 52, to the crusher frame section 12. Hydraulic fluid pressure admitted through inlet 19 to cylinder 55 acts upon piston 54 to lift (or lower) shaft 30 relative to sleeve 31, and lift (or lower) head 22 relative to the stationary concave member 20. Hydraulic fluid pressure may be supplied to inlet 19 by a system such as is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,667,309.

Referring to FIG. 2, a two-piece cam assembly 29 is shown comprising a somewhat different design shaft 30 within a cylindrical sleeve 31. The shaft 30 of FIG. 2 has an upper portion of considerably larger diame ter than lower shaft portion 32. The camming action that gyrates head 22 in this embodiment is provided by an upper surface 81 and a bore surface 82 defined by portion 80. Surface 81 is perpendicular to the axis X-Y and bore surface 82 is parallel to axis X-Y, and therefore provide cam surfaces such as are provided by surface 40 and the outer circumference of upper shaft portion 38 in embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 differs further from FIG. 1 in that it is shaft 30 which defines the bore surface labeled 82, and a space enclosed by surface 82 is open upwardly. Head 22 is provided with a depending boss 83 that projects downwardly into the space defined by bore surface 82. Bearings 84 are provided between boss 83 and bore surface 82 to function in the manner of bearings 42, 44 in FIG. 1, and an annular axial thrust bearing 85 is provided between the surface 81 of upper shaft portion 80 and head 22, to function in the manner of bearing 50 in FIG. 1.

Despite the foregoing structural differences shown in FIG. 2, the operation of the crusher is essentially the same as the operation of the crusher of FIG. 1. That is, regarding FIG. 2, power applied to drive gear 63 and rotate driven gear 64, rotates sleeve 31 and shaft 30 about axis X-Z. As shaft 30 rotates, with lower shaft portion 32 turning concentrically relative to hub 15, the upper shaft portion 80 will be moved so that boss 83 and axis X-Y transcribes a cone about a central axis which is the axis X-Z. This motion of upper shaft portion 80 provides the crushing action of head 22 in crushing chamber 24. Crushing forces which are the resultof stone being broken between head 22 and concave 20, have components transmitted through both I the radial bearing 84 and axial thrust bearing 85, to shaft 30. The forces applied to shaft 30 have components transmitted through both radial bearings 34, 36 and the axial thrust bearing 42, to the crusher frame section 12. Hydraulic fluid pressure admitted through inlet 19 to cylinder 55 acts upon piston 54 to lift (or lower) shaft 30 relative to sleeve 31, and lift (or lower) head 22 relative to the stationary concave member 20.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, FIG. 3 shows to enlarged scale the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 but with certain relationships exaggerated, regarding bearings 34 and 36, sleeve 31, driven gear 64, and lower shaft portion 32. FIG. 4 shows a modification and improvement that may be applied to the crushers of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. The improvement achieved by the arrangement of FIG. 4 may perhaps be best understood by first describing the operation of FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 3, when crushing occurs that results in a force indicated by the arrow immediately above FIG. 3, the top of shaft portion 32 is forced from left to right as shown, opening a clearance so labeled at upper'left and lower right of sleeve 31, and applying high load force to the upper right of sleeve 31 along what amounts to line (or even point) contact rather than surface to surface contact. Such high load of force results in wear and in shortening the useful life of sleeve 31 and bearing 34. Referring now to FIG. 4, the further improvement there shown involves a sleeve 31a which is shorter than sleeve 31 of FIG. 3, and the lower bearing labeled 36a in FIG. 4 is below sleeve 31a. Thus in the arrangement of FIG. 4 the bearing 34 is arranged between the rotating sleeve and hub portion 16 of the crusher frame (as in FIG. 3) but the bearing 36a is below the shorter sleeve 31a and between shaft portion 32 and frame hub portion 17. Thus in the arrangement of FIG. 4, the lower left portion 90 of sleeve 31a is not constrained and is free to open a clearance that permits the lower right portion 91 of sleeve 31a to maintain contact with shaft portion 32 and full contact is maintained between shaft portion 32 and the load carrying side of sleeve 31a. The arrangement of FIG. 4 therefore provides for reduced wear and increased useful life for the sleeve 31a as compared to sleeve 31 of FIG. 3.

From the foregoing detailed description of the present invention it has been shown how the objects of the present invention have been attained in a preferred manner. However, modification and equivalents of the disclosed concepts such as readily occur to those skilled in the art are intended to be included in the scope of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims such as are or may hereafter be, appended hereto.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a gyratory crusher having a frame defining an upright hub portion with a vertical central axis and bottom member at least substantially enclosing the lower end of the hub, a stationary concave carried by the frame coaxially above the hub portion, and a crushing head projecting into and in spaced relation relative to the stationary concave:

a. a two-piece central upright rotary cam assembly for supporting and camming the crushing head to gyrate relative to the concave, comprising a cylindrical sleeve joumaled in the hub for rotation coaxially about the vertical axis of the hub and a shaft having a lower vertical portion journaled in the sleeve for vertical movement relative to the sleeve, and with the lower shaft portion keyed to the sleeve to rotate with the sleeve;

b. the shaft having an upper portion inclined relative to the lower vertical shaft portion, with a central axis of the upper shaft portion intersecting with the vertical central axis of the lower shaft portion at a point above the shaft, and with the upper shaft portion engaging the crushing head to support the crushing head coaxially to the upper shaft portion;

0. drive means including means journaled in the frame for rotation about an axis fixed relative to the frame and with the drive means engaging the sleeve for rotating the sleeve and the shaft about the vertical central axis of the hub and gyrating the crushing head relative to the stationary concave; and

d. a hydraulic fluid pressure actuated piston between the lower shaft portion and the hub bottom member, operable by fluid pressure admitted beneath the piston to move vertically relative to the frame to raise and lower the shaft within the sleeve to which the shaft is keyed and thereby adjust the vertical position of the crushing head relative to the stationary concave.

2. A crusher according to claim I in which a first bearing is arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, and a second bearing is arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the lower end of the sleeve.

3. A crusher according to claim 2 in which the first bearing arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, is a self-aligning spherical roller bearing.

4. A crusher according to claim 1 in which a first bearing is arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, and a second bearing is arranged below the sleeve and between the shaft and the hub.

5. A crusher according to claim 4 in which both the first bearing between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub, and the second bearing between the shaft and the hub, are self-aligning spherical roller bearings. 

1. In a gyratory crusher having a frame defining an upright hub portion with a vertical central axis and bottom member at least substantially enclosing the lower end of the hub, a stationary concave carried by the frame coaxially above the hub portion, and a crushing head projecting into and in spaced relation relative to the stationary concave: a. a two-piece central upright rotary cam assembly for supporting and camming the crushing head to gyrate relative to the concave, comprising a cylindrical sleeve journaled in the hub for rotation coaxially about the vertical axis of the hub and a shaft having a lower vertical portion journaled in the sleeve for vertical movement relative to the sleeve, and with the lower shaft portion keyed to the sleeve to rotate with the sleeve; b. the shaft having an upper portion inclined relative to the lower vertical shaft portion, with a central axis of the upper shaft portion intersecting with the vertical central axis of the lower shaft portion at a point above the shaft, and with the upper shaft portion engaging the crushing head to support the crushing head coaxially to the upper shaft portion; c. drive means including means journaled in the frame for rotation about an axis fixed relative to the frame and with the drive means engaging the sleeve for rotating the sleeve and the shaft about the vertical central axis of the hub and gyrating the crushing head relative to the stationary concave; and d. a hydraulic fluid pressure actuated piston between the lower shaft portion and the hub bottom member, operable by fluid pressure admitted beneath the piston to move vertically relative to the frame to raise and lower the shaft within the sleeve to which the shaft is keyed and thereby adjust the vertical position of the crushing head relative to the stationary concave.
 2. A crusher according to claim 1 in which a first bearing is arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, and a second bearing is arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the lower end of the sleeve.
 3. A crusher according to claim 2 in which the first bearing arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, is a self-aligning spherical roller bearing.
 4. A crusher according to claim 1 in which a first bearing is arranged between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub adjacent the upper end of the sleeve, and a second bearing is arranged below the sleeve and between the shaft and the hub.
 5. A crusher according to claim 4 in which both the first bearing between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the hub, and the second bearing between the shaft and the hub, are self-aligning spherical roller bearings. 